I have to admit it...Im coming clean...I ...am....an...Entertainment Junkie. I have this tragic addiction to entertainment stories. For some reason, celebrity lives fascinate me, and if allowed, I could lose myself in E television about 24/7.
During one of my times of extensive(...um...ahem....)"research" into the lives of these people, I came across something disheartening...
On a jaunt through People Magazine online one day, I tumbled onto this article by a famous actress (who shall remain nameless). This actress has had issues with her "image" before, but was coming out to say how proud she was of how she looked, didn't care what the photogs thought of her and how she "loves her body exactly how it is, cellulite and all!" At first, my inner self throws up a fist pump! YES! FINALLY! we are getting advocates for Real Beauty out there!! As I read on, however, my heart began to sink. A few sentances down, this same actress who proclaimed loving her self as she was, began to detail her new, improved, hard-core workout program to get into that perfect size and "love herself for real!" B-b-but....You just said? HUH? I thought she did love herself as she was? I sat back and stared at this article for a moment and saw the ads surrounding it. Slim Fast, workout tools, and other fitness regimes slammed me in the face. So...in truth, not only is this article really NOT about loving herself as she is, but also about getting it's readers to subliminally determine that they can neither love themselves as they are, until we reach society's version of perfection. Hmmm...strategic advertising with a side of product placement, methinks...Lets be real here...there's a difference between working out to be healthy and forcing a regime to fit a mentality.
I found another article that caught my eye about a "plus size model." The article described this person as a size 10! Really Media? a size 10? Just because there are double digits does not a plus size make! I dare you to find a 10 in any genuine plus sized store....DARE....
This experience sat in my mind for a few days until last week, when I stumbled upon another article about a "Size 16 model gets engaged!" Why did the article feel it was necessary to throw her size out there? Do they shout about it when the size 2 model has a crazy life event? "HEY! This famous size double negative model gets married..." We never see that, or if I've missed it, it's not something seen often. Why does the world and media feel obligated and justified to let us know her digit? They also question the fiance, leading the reader to feel he was slightly bordering on the insane by stating..."...and we asked her fiance what it was like to be engaged to a curvy woman and he said..." What is the man supposed to say? "EGADS! She's a fatty??" As though the thought that a woman with curves finding love was an extreme concept?
Basically, my rant is this: No matter how much the social media tries to warp the concept of true beauty for women in this world, be healthy, love God and love yourself. Real beauty cannot be defined by the social media. Find whatever the beautiful is inside of you and embrace it, regardless of the size of pants you put on every day.
Chances are I'm not going to end my little indulgences into the lives of the famous...but I will be reading them with eyes opened a little wider.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Pastor's Wife Appreciation Week....
It's about time, don't you think?...allow me to explain...
I don't know what kind of church you grew up in, or if you grew up in a church at all...From my experience, as far back as I can remember, ministry has always been a 2 person job to me. First the husband in the actual job position and then, closely by his side, his wife.
*Disclaimer, please do not read this as "If you are single, you have no bona fide ministry." This is just an observation. Those of you single out there and rocking at your ministries, keep it up*
When I was a little girl, I remember always seeing our pastor's wife, Pat right there in the front row. At the end of each sermon, our pastor would take his wife's hand and together they would leave the church and head to the doors to greet the people as they left. You could see, they were in this together. I've also seen pastor's wives in other roles throughout the church, in varied minsitries and teams. What I've come to realize is this: While the pastor himself deals with the brunt of the work, there is no support system like his wife. She is the well oiled machine, sending the emails, welcoming the people, playing with the children, volunteering to serve, leading by example, making connections, backing up everything behind the scenes that her husband portrays at the front. She is also the one keeping him going when it gets tough, she is the listening ear as he bounces another idea off of her, she is his strength.
I believe that ministry is a 2 person job, because I feel that the partners these leaders have chosen for their lives are divine choices. The most successful ministries I have experienced in my life are those who have that team. This weekend, as I was singing with the band, I observed our pastor's wife in the back of the auditorium, with a big smile on her face, and I wondered, does she know how amazing she is. How all of this would not be the same without her? I thought about the other spouses on our leadership team and how each one of them helps to shape their husband to who he is. I thought about several very close and amazing friends I have in the ministry, about all their late nights and tough decisions and hard times and how they have worked side by side to seek God's will for their families...
If you are reading this as one of the wives of ministry, this one goes out to you. Thank you for who you are and everything you do. Our lives would not be as enriched without you and your quiet beauty, your servant's hearts and your love.
If you are a person whose life has been made better through knowing one of these people, encourage them this week. Send them a refreshing reminder of how much they matter!
I don't know what kind of church you grew up in, or if you grew up in a church at all...From my experience, as far back as I can remember, ministry has always been a 2 person job to me. First the husband in the actual job position and then, closely by his side, his wife.
*Disclaimer, please do not read this as "If you are single, you have no bona fide ministry." This is just an observation. Those of you single out there and rocking at your ministries, keep it up*
When I was a little girl, I remember always seeing our pastor's wife, Pat right there in the front row. At the end of each sermon, our pastor would take his wife's hand and together they would leave the church and head to the doors to greet the people as they left. You could see, they were in this together. I've also seen pastor's wives in other roles throughout the church, in varied minsitries and teams. What I've come to realize is this: While the pastor himself deals with the brunt of the work, there is no support system like his wife. She is the well oiled machine, sending the emails, welcoming the people, playing with the children, volunteering to serve, leading by example, making connections, backing up everything behind the scenes that her husband portrays at the front. She is also the one keeping him going when it gets tough, she is the listening ear as he bounces another idea off of her, she is his strength.
I believe that ministry is a 2 person job, because I feel that the partners these leaders have chosen for their lives are divine choices. The most successful ministries I have experienced in my life are those who have that team. This weekend, as I was singing with the band, I observed our pastor's wife in the back of the auditorium, with a big smile on her face, and I wondered, does she know how amazing she is. How all of this would not be the same without her? I thought about the other spouses on our leadership team and how each one of them helps to shape their husband to who he is. I thought about several very close and amazing friends I have in the ministry, about all their late nights and tough decisions and hard times and how they have worked side by side to seek God's will for their families...
If you are reading this as one of the wives of ministry, this one goes out to you. Thank you for who you are and everything you do. Our lives would not be as enriched without you and your quiet beauty, your servant's hearts and your love.
If you are a person whose life has been made better through knowing one of these people, encourage them this week. Send them a refreshing reminder of how much they matter!
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